A Lonely Place In Dying
by Disco-Wing
Summary: In the end, everyone's life comes down to one important decision. It doesn't matter how rich or poor you are, it always happens. Jason knew, that in this moment, he made the wrong decision. Now, the sound of maniacal laughter will be the last thing ghosting through his ears.
1. The Sound Of Laughter

The scariest type of monsters are the ones that seem human and familiar.

His monster held a knife, a crowbar, and a smile.

Assuredly, the most fearsome weapon he wielded was that minefield of a smile.

With every wound he inflicted on the boy, his smile became more deranged, and his laughter more demented.

The boy _-Jason-_ had come to realize this every time the metal made contact with his skin. With every bone that snapped and every cry he made, he became aware of how true that fact really was.

It was only when the crowbar came crashing down on his head that the thought of him dying crossed his mind. It was only when black spots began to fill his sight, did he really begin to _fear_ for his life.

The maniacal laughter sounded loudly throughout the warehouse, planting itself forever inside Jason's brain. He glanced up at his torturer through the shattered lens of his mask, watching that grin grow impossibly wider.

"So, our little birdie is awake after all! I thought you had gone to sleep on me!"

He trembled as the cool steel was pressed against his face, forcing him to look up at his captor.

"Let me tell you a little secret. This is going to hurt you a lot more than it does me."

He let out another burst of chaotic laughter as he brought the weapon down on Jason one, two, three, four times. He stopped only once to gather his breath, cackling with glee as he did.

Jason's breath came harder when the first rib broke. He cried out when the second and third crumbled, and he feared a punctured lung when he felt the fourth shatter.

The Joker knelt down into Jason's line of sight and poked him on the cheek.

"I'm going to ask you a very important question, so make sure you pay attention. I don't want to repeat myself!" He giggled as he stood up and dropped the crowbar. The clang of the metal echoing loudly as it hit the floor.

He grabbed Jason by his cape and dragged him to one of the warehouses support beams, a smeared path of blood following him. He leaned Robin up against it and Jason moaned when his ribs were jostled.

"Good, you're still awake. Now, pay attention! I want to hear your answer after!"

The Joker walked away and retrieved his crowbar, shaking it a few times to get rid of the blood.

"Tell me, what hurts more? A?" The Joker hit the side of Jason's face with the end of the crowbar, "Or B?" He swung the metal again, this time hitting the opposite cheek. Jason rolled his head with the blows, trying to lessen the damage. "Forehand?" he hit Jason again, "Or backhand?" Jason slumped forward and spit blood onto the floor, wheezing.

"Now-now-now, look at the mess you've made. Didn't Batman ever teach you any manners?" The Joker giggled when Jason fell onto his side, too pained to continue holding himself up.

The Joker stared down at Robin for a moment, face uncharacteristically blank. "I'll be back in a minute Birdboy, don't go anywhere!"

Jason watched as the Joker skipped away out of his line of sight.

This wasn't how it was supposed to end. Robin wasn't supposed to die. Jason inhaled sharply as he rolled onto his side. Where was Batman? Where was _Bruce?_

He clenched his teeth and forced his arms underneath his legs, bringing them to his chest, ignoring the cuffs for now. The weight of his body shifting onto his knees almost made him scream. He bit his tongue, drawing blood. He had to escape, he needed to get out.

Jason's slow crawling was stopped by a swift kick to his stomach. He cried out as he collapsed and felt another kick find its way to his body.

"Leaving so soon?" The Joker asked, voice rising and falling in pitch as he spoke. "We were just getting started!" Jason squeezed his eyes shut when the Joker's putrid breath wafted into his nose.

"How dare you try to leave early. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" He knelt down closer to Jason, grinning widely.

"F-f"

"What was that Birdy? You're going to have to speak louder than that!"

"F-fuck y-you!" Jason managed to gasp out, spitting onto Joker's face.

The Joker's wide grin transformed into a deep frown. He stood up and rained blows down on Jason's already broken body.

"How," he grunted, kicking Jason's body, "rude," he kicked him again, "I think it's about time I leave. What do you say?"

Joker reached down and grabbed Jason by the hair, causing him to cry out.

"Listen! Oh, how the little bird sings!" He threw Jason into the middle of the warehouse.

Jason rolled onto his back, his eyes glazed over and his breath came out weakly. Was this how it ended? Was this really how he was going to die? His mind wandered to Dick. Jason was supposed to meet him for ice-cream when he got back from space. How would Dick handle his death? How would Bruce?

Jason heard a few beeps sound out from behind him and he craned his neck to look. He couldn't see much because the Joker's body was once again blocking his sight.

"W-wha" Jason tried to form words but his body wasn't listening to him anymore. Everything was getting fuzzy.

The Joker turned around at Jason's weak sound, looking at him pitifully.

"Well kiddo, I gotta go. It's been fun though, right?" He paused, waiting for Robin's reply, getting nothing but a weak groan. "Well, maybe a smidge more fun for me than you. I'm just guessing since you're being awfully quiet." He walked away from Jason and headed towards the door, opening it and stepping out.

"Anyway, be a good boy, finish your homework, and be in bed by nine. And, hey, please tell the big man I said..."hello". The Joker started to laugh hysterically at this and slammed the door closed, leaving Jason alone to his thoughts.

The crazed laughter could still be heard faintly through the closed door as the Joker left. Jason released a breath he didn't know he was holding. His relief, however, was short-lived as he heard a rhythmic beeping from behind him once more.

He rolled onto his stomach and looked behind him. It was a bomb. The Joker had left him with a _bomb._ Jason squinted his eyes, trying to read the timer.

 _00:28_

Jason scrambled to his knees and hurriedly crawled towards the door. Leaving yet another trail of blood behind him.

 _00:15_

He reached the door and stretched his arms up to the knob, ignoring the sharp pain the movement brought.

He twisted the knob. Nothing. He twisted it again. It was locked. He'd been _locked_ in. He let out a frustrated cry.

Jason turned and leaned his back against the door. He blinked rapidly a few times, getting rid of the wetness that had begun to gather. He wouldn't cry. He _would not_ cry.

 _00:05_

Jason sucked in a few deep breaths. Batman wasn't going to make it.

 _00:04_

He wasn't going to meet Dick for ice-cream.

 _00:03_

He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was going to die _alone._

 _00:02_

Jason closed his eyes and breathed out once more.

 _00:01_

Sorry, Bruce...

 _00:00_

* * *

 **Hey everyone! This is a little thing I wrote a few weeks ago. What do you think?**

 **It was originally meant to be a One-shot but, if you like it enough, I'll add more chapters! So be sure to leave a review!**

 **Is it bad that I wrote this while listening to Christmas music? _Probably_**

 **Well till next time,**

 **Rachel**


	2. A Son, A Brother, A Hero

To the public, he was in Kuwait learning the language and culture of its people. To his family, he was dead, never to return. To his fellow heroes, he was alive and well, off somewhere on a training mission. To himself, Jason was broken, but nobody needed to know that.

He had dropped to his knees a while ago, staining his jeans with fresh mud. It had started raining long ago, but he didn't mind, he hadn't really noticed anyway. His mind was busy processing the words written across his tombstone. The _lies._

 _"Gone But Not Forgotten. Jason Peter Todd. A Son, A Brother, A Hero."_

Jason chuckled weakly. _Gone But Not Forgotten my ass._ It had been a little over a year after he was brought back when he'd finally peaked into the manor windows. Everything that had shown he'd lived there was gone, tucked away into dark corners, bearing company only to the settling dust. Jason remembered feeling something inside him break, but he was never sure what it was. His sanity? His heart? Who knew, because he certainly didn't.

He slowly rose to his feet and threw his hood over damp hair. Jason had wondered for a while who came to his funeral. Ra's never told him, saying it was something he needed to learn for himself. But did he want to? No, it didn't matter anymore, they're all just as guilty, and he was here to make sure they understood that.

Jason turned and walked with a listless gait back to his motorcycle. It was time.

* * *

Jason loaded his pistols into his thigh holsters and strapped an AK to his back. He was sure he wouldn't need it but he always planned for the worst. A machete tucked away in his black duffel were the last items collected, thrown over his shoulder as he walked out the door. It was time to go hunting, and Jason had seven heads to collect.

* * *

The first three were easy, he had managed to catch them by surprise. The fourth and fifth were a little more difficult, but still manageable. The sixth was a little bloodier than he would have liked, but still acceptable. The seventh, well, he still hadn't finished that one yet.

The man, because Jason hadn't cared enough to remember his name, ducked into an alley, leaving a lovely trail of blood for him to follow. Jason had to admit that this little game of cat and mouse was starting to annoy him. He had a meeting to get to and this little rat wasn't going to make him miss it.

Whipping out his pistol, Jason aimed lazily and shot the fleeing man in the back, although not fatally. He wasn't finished with him yet.

Jason watched as the collapsed man tried to drag himself to safety. Letting out an amused chuckle as he sauntered over to the fallen man, he spoke, "Why bother? You know you're going to die, I know you're going to die." Jason gestured towards himself, "Hell, even the birds know you're going to die. So why bother? Why not just accept it? It's easier that way." Jason stomped down onto the man's back, digging his boot into the bullet wound. The man cried out sharply but still attempted to crawl away.

"Now, for making me wait," Jason placed one knee onto the man's back, stopping his incessant squirming, "I'm not going to give you the same mercy I gave the others." He crooned and gripped the man's hair tightly in his fist, baring his throat.

The man started to thrash around wildly, but his weak protests were simply batted away. "P-please! Don't! I-I have a family!" he protested, but Jason only laughed at those words.

"Buddy listen, everybody's got a family, somebody that cares for them, but did that ever stop you from killing them? Probably not, right? So, why should it stop me?"

"P-please don't! I'll do anything! Ple-" he pleaded, even as the sharp blade touched sensitive skin. Nothing he said helped, and Jason continued on with his work. He had a deadline to meet after all.

* * *

"Yeah, like yelling at the guy who's holding the AK-47," Jason barked back at the man. It was really tempting to just shoot him for his sheer stupidity, but sadly, he was needed.

"Now that I've got your kind attention, a little birdie told me that you were missing your lieutenants." Jason watched as the drug dealers nodded to themselves, "So, after hearing this terrible news, and out of the kindness of my cold, dead heart, I went ahead and found them all for you." He paused for a moment and threw his black duffel over the railing and watched it land with a sickening thud. "I even brought them here for you!"

Jason watched with a wolfish grin as one of the dealers reached out and opened up the damp bag. "Damn!" he shouted and shot back into his chair and scooted far, _far_ away from the bag.

"Those are the heads of all your lieutenants. That took me two hours. You wanna see what I get done in a whole evening? Make no mistake, I'm not _asking_ you to cut in with me. I'm _telling_ you."

Just for good measure, Jason released a long burst of gunfire into the ceiling for dramatic effect. As expected, all the dealers ducked underneath the table to avoid the shots, which in turn, allowed Jason to silently slip away.

* * *

 **Okay, so I have a reason why I haven't been active. My Laptop broke and I had to wait until Christmas to get my new one. Now that I have it I'll be updating all my stories within the next few days!**

 **I hope you all can forgive me!**

 **Til next time,**

 **Rachel**

 **(Also, leave a comment and let me know what you think of this chapter! A bunch of you wanted another one so I hope this is okay!)**


	3. IMPORTANT UPDATE

Hello everyone! As you've noticed, this isn't a new chapter. Instead, it's an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT update, so please read.

As of tomorrow, Monday June 11th, I am leaving for Army Basic Training, and will be at Ft. Sill Oklahoma. I will be in training for approximately ten weeks there. In those weeks, I will most likely not be allowed to use any of my electronics. (Which means no updates).

After Basic Training, I'll fly down to Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonia Texas for AIT (Advanced Individual Training). I'll be there for around forty-five weeks. My MOS is a Biomedical Equipment Specialist for those of you that didn't know.

Now, during AIT, I'll be able to use my laptop, but I have to wait for my parents to ship it to me from Virginia. (Might take a few days and I won't be able to have it for the first few weeks, probably).

So, if any of you are worried that I'll stop updating my stories, you may rest easy. In no way, shape, or form do I plan on canceling my stories. I really love writing and this is one of my hobbies. I'm upset that I won't be able to update for so long, but I plan to do so as soon as I'm able. I was planning on updating all stories tonight, but decided against it. When I come back, I want to be able to update right away (And not keep you waiting even longer for me to write new chapters after the months of nothing).

Therefore, I'm holding chapters hostage until my return. If you are dedicated and have read my note thus far, I really appreciate it. I know I'd be super upset if one of the stories I like'd got put on a temporary hiatus (It's happened before, only, the story still hasn't come back). Thank you so much for reading my stories and not getting super angry at this message (At least I hope you aren't. Please don't be mad).

I'm going to post this same message on all of my stories that way everyone knows what's going on. I think I might even put it on my dash/profile. Oh, also to anyone that I am currently a Beta for, I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from that for a few months. I hope you understand. But I can continue to Beta for you after I get back. Just send me a message (Or if you want me to become your Beta. I'm always open).

Okay, I think this message is long enough. If you have any questions/comments please write them quickly and I will be responding to them until tomorrow night.

Have a great couple of months and I'll see you soon.

Til next time,

Rachel :)

PS. I'll delete this notice once I return as well to keep the confusion on the down-low.


End file.
